The Man I Thought I Trusted - E. L. Todd Page 0,18

place, and it makes me happy that she has. Maybe someday, it can be the four of us…”

“Yeah. Maybe.”

6

Dax

I’d become indifferent to Rose. I didn’t spend my free time thinking about her. I never looked back and reflected on the relationship, second-guessing my decisions and mourning my mistakes. I made my peace with it and moved forward.

But whenever we were in the same room together…I hated her.

I really hated her.

I walked into the conference room and saw her sitting there with her lawyer at her side. Her blond hair was in soft curls over one shoulder, and she wore designer clothing she didn’t pay for. She even had a level of pretentiousness she didn’t earn, snobby like some trust-fund baby, when her beginnings were humble.

I was the one who gave her everything.

Without me, she’d be nothing.

Before we married, she was a regular person, working at a coffee shop for minimum wage.

When I’d asked her out, she took advantage of the opportunity—and ran with it.

Even if I could prove in a court of law that our entire relationship was a sham because she was an opportunistic parasite, it wouldn’t change anything.

I didn’t get that fucking prenup.

I took a seat across from her, beside Renee, along with a few other executives who worked at the company. We were going over quarterly figures.

That was why Rose was there.

She wanted to know what her paycheck was.

Splitting my income with her wasn’t the worst part. Letting her take a piece of my family’s legacy…that was what hurt.

We handed out the files and went over the numbers, business as usual.

I barely looked at her.

Whenever her stupid voice entered the conversation, I focused on the one thing that could calm me down.

Carson.

“It looks like you’re spending a lot of money on research, doubling your budget from last month.” Rose looked over the paperwork, acting like an executive even though she had no business experience at all. “I’m not sure if I approve of that.”

Renee kept her head down and released a suppressed sigh, swallowing her insults because it would get us nowhere.

I steadied my anger and spoke. “We have to keep reinventing our company if we want to survive another generation. Companies that just sit back and do nothing never last. I assume that’s the last thing you want…since you have nothing else.”

She turned her blue eyes on me, her plump lips outlined with a racy color of lipstick. There was no guilt in her look, no second-guessing. She didn’t give a damn what she did to me.

She owned it.

When the meeting was finished, she rose to her feet and strutted out. Her spike heels echoed against the hard floor as she walked out, her head held high as if she’d built this company from the ground up.

“Sometimes I want to jump over the table and break her neck.” Renee put her papers in her folders, a bit of redness to her cheeks from her anger.

“Yeah…I know the feeling.”

7

Dax

I sat on the couch in front of the TV and nursed my scotch. I usually went for a run after work, but today, I totally ditched the obligation because I just wanted to sulk in silence.

Carson texted me. I had to stay late at the office today, so I’m just leaving now. Dinner?

I wasn’t in the mood to do anything right now. But I didn’t want to push her away, do anything to jeopardize what we finally had. I already ate. But you’re welcome to come over.

Alright. I’m picking up Chinese.

See you soon.

Thirty minutes later, my elevator beeped quietly before the doors opened, revealing Carson on the other side, wearing skinny jeans and green booties with a black sweater on top. A plastic bag of takeout was in her hand. “Hey, babe.”

Did she just call me babe? “Hey, sweetheart.” I got to my feet so I could greet her properly instead of letting my sour mood destroy the energy in the room.

Besides, it seemed like my night just got better.

My arms wrapped around her small waist, and I leaned down and gave her a kiss.

I was shirtless and in just my sweatpants, so her hand groped me dramatically without apology.

I smiled against her lips, letting her know I liked it when she made me feel desirable, made me feel I was worthy of her. I knew I was attractive, but I rarely got compliments from women, maybe because they thought my qualities were obvious and should go unsaid. But beautiful women liked to be complimented, and the same